Kicker for the duckbills of coal loaders



March 10,1942. J. MMPHERSQN 2,276,238

KIGKER FOR THE DUCKBILLS OF COAL LOADERS Filed Jan. 1'7, 1941 IN VENTOR. JOHN /%'C PHL'RSOM ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 10, 1942 KICKER FOR THE DUCKBH LS F COAL LOADERS John MacPherson, Erie, (3010., assignor of fifty per cent to Edward Lasnik, Erie, Colo.

Application January 17, 1941, Serial No. 374,900

6- Claims.

This invention relates to a device by means of which the duckbill of a coal loading machine can be quickly and easily swung to either side at the will of the operator.

Coal loading machines of the shaker type have an exceedingly heavy, shovel-like forward extremity which reciprocates back and forth beneath the pile of coal to pick up and carry the coal rearwardly onto a trough conveyor for loading the cars. These forward extremities, commonly known as duckbills, are exceedingly heavy and on the larger machines weigh several tons. After all of the coal has been exhausted ahead of the duckbill, it is necessary to swing it aside to attack another portion of the pile, this is usually. done by means of crowbars or jacks while the machine is in operation and often results in serious injuries to the workmen.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple device within the control of the operator which can be constantly brought into service to move the duckbill under its own power either to the right or left and to so construct the device that it can be quickly, cheaply, and easily attached to or installed on the present duckbills.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efliciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the duckbill of a typical coal loading machine of the shaker type, illustrating the improvement in place thereon;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the forward extremity of the duckbill and the improvement;

Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the device in the act of lifting the duckbill;

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sections through the duckbill illustrating different operative positions of the device; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating a supporting latch as employed in the invention.

In the drawing the typical parts of a coal loading duckbill are designated by numeral as follows: feed trough I0, shovel trough II, shovel I2, coal ratchets I3, swivel trough I4, operating carrier 28, and sliding shoe 29. These parts are standard equipment on this type of coal loading machine and need no detailed description here. The swivel trough I4 and feed trough ID are constantly reciprocating under the movement of the pan line or conveyor. The operating carrier connects the shovel trough thereto when desired to reciprocate the shovel and shovel trough beneath a pile of coal. Th swivel connection between the troughs I0 and I4 allows the shovel I2 to be swung to either side of the axis of the swivel trough M. This invention is designed to employ the reciprocating movement of the shovel trough as a source of power to swing the shovel I2 to either side.

The invention consists of a simple attachment placed on either or both sides of the shovel l2. The attachments are similar, except that one is left hand and the other righthand. Each employs a bracket member I5 to be secured to the side wall of the shovel I2 in any desired manner such as by means of suitable attachment bolts 30.

A leg tube I6 swingingly depends from each of the bracket members I5 and is secured thereto through the medium of two interlocking eyes II or other type of universal joint. A floor-engaging leg fang I8 projects from the leg tube and is secured at any desired projected position therein by means of a set screw I9.

The leg tube can be pulled rearwardly and upwardly by means of a pull rod 20 which extends through a key slot opening 2I in a downwardly turned extremity 3| of a bracket bar 22. The bracket bar is secured on the bracket member I5 by means of a clamping pivot screw 24. This allows the bar to be swung and set at any desired projecting angle to accommodate the angle of the shovel I2 and to be conveniently placed for the operator.

The forward extremity of the pull rod 20 is connected, by means of a universal joint consist-' ing of two interlocking rings 23, with the leg tube IS; The pull rod is latched in its rearward position by a narrowed portion 25 thereon, which locks into the key slot 2| to hold the fang I8 out of engagement with the floor.

The bracket members I5 are provided with projecting vertical shoulders 26 against which the leg tubes I6 contact to prevent the latter from swinging inwardly toward the duckbill I2. A tension spring 21 extends from each of the leg tubes I6 to the side of the duckbill I2. This spring acts to pull the leg tube against the shoulder 26 each time the forward movement releases the fang IB from the floor so that a continual walking movement may be had.

Let us assume that the shovel trough II is reciprocating and that the operator desires to swing it to the right. The operator raises the swings the trough to the right, as shown in Fig. 5. e

As soon as the trough again starts forward the fang is released and the spring 21 snaps it back to the side of the shovel trough in the position of Fig. 2 until the next rearward reciprocation. This intermittent, right angular movement continues until the operator again pulls the leg back to the inoperative position, as indicated by the right hand leg of Fig. 2.

To swing the duckbill to the left, a similar operation is accomplished by means of the right hand pull rod 20. Thus, the operator has full control of the direction and amount of side movement of the duckbill at all times.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, withinthe scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of th invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for swinging the forward extremity of a reciprocating duckbill on a coal loading machine comprising: a bracket member secured to the side of the duckbill; a leg member; a universal joint securing said leg member to said bracket member so that it may swing forward, back, and sideward therefrom, said leg member being of sufficient length to engage the floor below the duckbill; and a pull rod hinged to said leg member for lifting said leg out of engagement with the floor.

2. A device for swinging the forward extremity of a reciprocating duckbill on a coal loading mai chine comprising: a bracket member secured to the side of the duckbill; a leg member; a universal joint securing said leg member to said bracket member sothat it may swing forward, back, and sideward therefrom, said leg member being of sufficient length to engage the floor below the duckbill; a pull rod hinged to said leg member for lifting said leg out of engagement with the floor; and a spring for constantly urging said leg toward said duckbill.

3. A device for swinging the forward extremity of a reciprocating duckbill on a coal loading machine comprising: a bracket member secured to the side of the duckbill; a leg member; a universal joint securing said leg member to said bracket member so that it may swing forward, back, and sideward therefrom, said leg member being of sufficient length to engage the floor below the duckbill; a supporting member extending rearwardly from said bracket member; and a pull rod slidably supported by said supporting member and hinged to said leg member at its forward extremity for lifting the leg member out of engagement with the ground.

4. A device for swinging the forward extremity of a reciprocating duckbill on a coal loading machine comprising: a bracket member secured to the side of the duckbill; a leg member; a universal joint securing said leg member to said bracket member so that it may swing forward, back, and sideward therefrom, said leg member being of sufficient length to engage the floor below the duckbill; a pull rod hinged to said leg member for lifting said leg out of engagement with the floor; and means for holding said pull rod in its retracted position.

5. A device for swinging the forward extremity of a reciprocating duckbill on a coal loading machine comprising: a bracket member secured to the side of the duckbill; a leg member; a universal joint securing said leg member to said bracket member so that it mayswing forward, back, and sideward therefrom, said leg member being of sufiicient length to engage the floor below the duckbill; a supporting member extending rearwardly from said bracket member; and a pull rod slidably supported by said supporting member and hinged to said leg member at its forward extremity for lifting the leg member out of engagement with the ground, said supporting member being pivotally secured to said bracket member so that it may be swung to any desired position.

6. A device for swinging the forward extremity of a reciprocating duckbill on a coal loading machine comprising: a bracket member secured to the side of the duckbill; a leg member; a universal joint securing said leg member to said bracket member so that it may swing forward, back, and sideward therefrom, said leg member being of suflicient length to engage the floor below the duckbill; a supporting member extending rearwardly from said bracket member; a pull rod slidably supported by said supporting member and hinged to said leg member at its forward extremity for lifting the leg member out of engagement with the ground, said supporting mem ber being pivotally secured to said bracket member so that it may be swung toany desired position; and a spring for constantly drawing said leg member toward said bracket member.

JOHN MACPHERSON. 

